


"You Don't Trust Me"

by AllyDog57



Category: White Collar
Genre: Anger, Angst, Betrayal, Episode: s04e09 Gloves Off, Friendship, Sadness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:34:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22791052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllyDog57/pseuds/AllyDog57
Summary: "Well, that's the heart of our problem, isn't it? You don't trust me. You still don't trust me." Pause. "I may be a ward of the state. And I will do my job for the FBI. But as far as my personal life goes, we are done. We're done."From Neal's POV
Relationships: Peter Burke & Neal Caffrey
Comments: 6
Kudos: 52





	"You Don't Trust Me"

**Author's Note:**

> I thank Christmasbaby for the idea and the support on my White Collar stories. This work wouldn't exist without them.  
> I imagine Neal to be so fragile and easily breaks down when something goes wrong.

"Well, that's the heart of our problem, isn't it? You don't trust me. You still don't trust me." Pause. "I may be a ward of the state. And I will do my job for the FBI. But as far as my personal life goes, we are done. We're done."

Peter’s face flashes through his mind. The shock and surprise, the hidden rage and disappointment.

But Neal had meant those words. Every last one of them. Peter had ruined his search. Neal told Peter to stay away, told him that he wanted to do this on his own. That this was his responsibility.

He should have never told Peter about his family. About Danny Brooks and Ellen and his father’s arrest.

Naturally, Peter took matters into his own hands. He believed that they should combine resources. That it would make the search go faster.

Peter’s visit set them back instead.

Because Sam was gone.

Neal enters his apartment upstairs, telling June to turn away all visitors. And yes, he was fine.

But in all reality he wasn’t fine.

Peter betrayed his trust. He went behind Neal’s back and took matters into his own hands.

He believed that Neal needed to be babied, that he couldn’t handle the cold, hard world.

But Neal had seen some pretty cold and hard things. He’s been through his fair share of cold and hard.

He did not need to be babied.

When Neal got home, he expected to pick things up and throw them, broken glass everywhere and torn pillows from rage and frustration.

Instead he collapsed at the kitchen table and cried.

Peter was the only person he could trust. He said it years ago. Yes, he was high on whatever drugs his captors gave him, but the words were still true.

_ The only person in my life I trust. _

Neal had no doubt that Peter was thinking about those same words right now. Thinking about how he went behind Neal’s back to get what he wants.

Peter was his best friend. Peter was the only one in his life that he could trust with anything. Peter would sit and listen to Neal when something was on his mind. He was the only one who truly cared.

That was why Neal shared his story with Peter. Why Peter knew so much about his family, his past.

Neal bent his head down, clutching his hair, the tears falling down faster. He was a fool. A damn fool. He trusted an FBI agent. He became friends with someone who enforced the law, someone who was required to report any suspicious activity.

And he was a conman. A man who broke the law and got caught. Someone who was usually an enemy to the FBI.

A damn fool.

It was hard to be mad at Peter. He was his best friend, his brother. Neal loved Peter. He truly understood Neal.

All Neal wanted was to find out who his father was. If James Bennett was really as bad as the cops make him out to be.

Now he lost his chance.

Hours passed by, Neal trying to be mad at Peter but ending up mad at himself. Mad at himself for trusting Peter, for telling Peter everything about him.

He eventually fell asleep at the kitchen table, slumped over and head in his hands. The tears had run out long ago, leaving Neal dehydrated and thirsty. But he did not get up. He was too mad at himself to get water.

_ We’re done _ .

Those words had too much power now that they kept going through his head. He said those words. He inflicted the pain that shone across Peter’s face.

He had to go into the office tomorrow and act like nothing had gone wrong. He couldn’t just leave, take a day off.

He was dreading the morning.

**Author's Note:**

> Sister work of "We're Done"


End file.
